About Meredith

Meredith Eiker Spear, age 70, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2017 due to complications from pneumonia.

She was born on October 11, 1946 in Peekskill, NY, to John and Helene Eiker, and grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, where she was the managing editor of the Michigan Daily. She went on to receive a Masters in Public Health with a specialty in hospital administration from Yale University.

She married Peter D. Spear on January 14th, 1984 in Madison WI.

Her career was long and impressive. Meredith spent her early years in various roles in the health-care sector and became Chief Operating Officer at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Administration Medical Center in Madison, WI. In 1985 she co-founded Space Diagnostics, growing a small business into a nationally recognized healthcare facilities-planning consultancy. In 2000 Space Diagnostics merged with Kurt Salmon Associates, where she would finish her career as a vice president. She was known for her understanding of the challenges facing academic medical centers, her intelligence and candor, the creativity of her solutions, and her ability to bring consensus to groups with diverse or competing interests. Her clients include the most prestigious medical centers across North America.

In addition to her work as a consultant and business leader, she was very active in her community. She was a Court-Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children (CASA), was involved in the non-profit Social Venture Partners of Boulder County, and was on the board and volunteered at Boulder Bridge House (Homeless Services). She also was an avid traveler, visiting all seven continents with her husband, Peter. She loved reading the New York Times and the New Yorker, and completed the the NY Times crossword puzzle every week, with her dogs Rusty and Portia curled up nearby. She was a mentor to many young women, providing invaluable advice on how to navigate the business world as well as the world at large.

Meredith is survived by her husband, Peter D. Spear, her brother Kenny (Kelly) Eiker, her children Eli Spear and Jessica (Tom) Kelley, and her granddaughter, Rowan Kelley.

Please go here to share your story about Meredith, or send us a message at pspear@me.com. She lived an extraordinary life with countless valued connections. We’d love to hear about your memories of Meredith.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local homeless support organization. If you live in the Boulder area, please donate to Bridge House.